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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Patches Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Vega (AF-59)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Quebec - Sierra - Juliet
NQSJ
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Thunderbolt (M)ike - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (3) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (7-Vietnam, 2-Quemoy-Matsu, 1-Korea, 1-Op. Eagle Pull, 1-Op. Frequent Wind, 1-Mayaquez Op.)
Bottom Row - Vietnam Service Medal (10) - Humanitarian Service Medal (1-Eagle Pull, 1-Frequent Wind)- Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Rigel Class Stores Ship:

Laid down, 7 June 1954, as a Maritime Administration type (R3-S-4A) hull under Maritime Administration contract (MA 37) at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, MS.

Launched, 28 April 1955

Commissioned USS Vega (AF-59), 10 November 1955, CAPT. Floyd T. Thompson in command

During the Vietnam War USS Vega participated in the following campaigns:

Campaigns and Dates	Campaigns and Dates
Vietnam War Campaigns
Vietnamese Defense 25 July to 1 August 1965 12 to 20 August 1965 5 to 17 September 1965	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 4 to 15 July 1968 21 July to 2 August 1968
Vietnamese Counteroffensive 20 to 27 February 1966 9 to 16 March 1966 1 to 6 April 1966	Tet/69 Counteroffensive 8 to 17 May 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 3 to 15 September 1966 23 September to 14 October 1966 20 to 24 October 1966 31 October to 10 November 1966	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 11 to 26 June 1969 7 to 18 July 1969 28 to 29 July 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 8 to 18 August 1967 26 August to 8 September 1967 26 September to 11 October 1967	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 9 to 22 October 1970 5 to 25 November 1970 30 November to 15 December 1970 31 December 1970 to 13 January 1971 26 January to 6 February 1971 13 to 14 February 1971 23 February to 7 March 1971
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 11 to 22 April 1968 8 to 27 May 1968	Vietnam Ceasefire 4 to 16 April 1972 22 April to 2 May 1972 6 to 16 May 1972 27 May to 3 July 1972 12 to 20 July 1972 10 August to 6 September 1972

Decommissioned, 29 April 1977, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 29 April 1977

USS Vega earned 10 campaign stars for service during the Vietnam War

Returned to the Maritime Administration for disposed

Sold 1 December 1977, to Union Metals & Alloys, for non-transportation use

Final Disposition, reported as having caught fire and burned at Dutch Harbor, Alaska while being converted into a processing ship. (Source N. Mark Evans book Dancing with Disaster)

Specifications:
Displacement 15,150 t(fl)
Length 502'
Beam 72'
Draft 29'
Speed 21 kts.
Complement 350
Armament four dual mount 3"/50 gun mounts
Propulsion 600psi cross compound steam turbine, single propeller

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
0913001710	64k	*Namesake* Vega is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Lyra. This star is relatively close at only 25 light-years from the Sun, and, together with Arcturus and Sirius, one of the most luminous stars in the Sun's neighborhood. It is the fifth-brightest star in the night sky, and the second-brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus. To find the star Vega in the constellation Lyra, look directly overhead. North lies at the top of the sky map. (Image credit: Starry Night Software)	Tommy Trampp
	1042k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** underway in San Francisco Bay, August 1957. Photo ©Allied Photographers, San Francisco.	Robert M. Cieri
	1042k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Charles Lamm
	273k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** at the south end of Mare Island likely conducting engineering plant testing after repairs at the yard. File name: AF 59 35823-7-57, Navy Photo, Feb. 1957	Darryl Baker
	100k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo	James Byrd USS Vega (Mount 33)
	62k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** at anchor off Kagoshima, Japan. Note Volcano in background.	R. J. Clark USS Vega
	87k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** during underway replenishment with a destroyer on her starboard side and an aircraft carrier on her port side, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	169k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** winch deck, SN Tom Dailey, Sasebo, Japan, circa early-1962	Tom Dailey RMC USN USS Vega
	86k	Fantail watch *USS Vega* (AF-59)** while transiting from Yokosuka to Pearl Harbor, circa early-1962	Tom Dailey RMC USN USS Vega
	130k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** underway in WestPac, circa 1963.	Bill Gonyo
	90k	*USS Vega* (AF-59) during an underway replenishment with USS Galveston (CLG-3)** in WESTPAC during 1963-64.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	380k	Coming alongside *USS Vega* (AF-59) for an underway replenishment, WESTPAC 1964. Photos taken from USS Calvert (APA-32)**.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	289k	*USS Vega* (AF-59) conducting an underway replenishment at sea, WESTPAC 1965 with USS Ranger (CVA-61) and USS Higbee (DD-806)** US Navy photo.	John Slaughter
	171k	*USS Vega* (AF-59) with USS America (CVA-66) and USS Epperson (DD-719)** alongside during an underway replenishment at sea, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	Ed Zajkowski
	508k	*USS Vega* (AF-59) moored at India Basin, Fleet Activities, Sasebo, Japan in 1969. Note the four destroyers moored aft of Vegas they include USS Ernest G. Small (DD-838) and USS Renshaw (DD-499)**	Photo by William P. Jones, MD Medical Officer USS Niagara Falls
	117k	*USS Vega* (AF-59) in position ready to receive a ship to port for an UNREP. At the same time a destroyer is preparing to UNREP off the starboard side of Vega**, date and place unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	111k	*USS Vega* (AF-59) in position to receive an aircraft carrier coming alongside to port for an UNREP. At the same time a destroyer is preparing to UNREP off the starboard side of Vega. Note the destroyers mast is visible to starboard of Vega**.date and place unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	42k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** underway during her WESTPAC deployment in 1963..	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
09065945	196k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** outbound to sea from San Francisco Bay, date unknown.	Nicholas Tiberio
	42k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** underway during her WESTPAC deployment in 1963..	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	87k	*USS Vega* (AF-59) replenishes USS Tripoli (LPH-10) and USS Thomaston (LSD-28)** off the coast of Vietnam, circa 1969. US Navy photo.	Yu Chu
	50k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** at anchor in San Francisco Bay, date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	262k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** entering San Francisco Bay, date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega and Mike Smolinski
	87k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** underway off California, date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	677k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** under way, circa 1966-67, location unknown. US Navy photo.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
09031769	209k	*USS Piedmont* (AD-17) docked at Naval Station Subic Bay, Philippines in 1969 with USS Vega (AF-59) and USS Zelima (AF-49)** alongside. U.S. Navy photo from the USS Piedmont (AD-17) 1969 cruise book	Robert Hurst
	84k	*USS Vega* (AF-59) and USS Ramsey (DEG-2)** during underway replenishment in the Gulf of Tonkin in March 1975.	Photo by Terry Hedgewood GM3 USS Vega Submitted by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	80k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** moored pierside at NAS Alameda, date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	133k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** crew preparing for an underway replenishment, date and location unknown.	Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
09065946	149k	*USS Vega* (AF-59) underway in WestPac preparing to conduct an underway replenishment at sea with USS Kansas City (AOR-3)*, May 1972. Photo taken from USS Mispillion (AO-105) by Bruce Hevner.*	Bob Canchola
09065947	129k
09065948	113k
	170k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** moored pierside at NSC Oakland, CA., date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	50k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** moored pierside at NSC Oakland, CA., date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	62k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** loading stores at NAS Alameda, date unknown.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	57k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** moored at pier 2, NAS Alameda, date unknown.	Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	51k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** arriving at the Naval Supply Center, Oakland, CA. after completing a WESTPAC deployment, date unknown.	Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	50k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** moored at Todd Shipyard, Alameda, CA., date unknown.	Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	413k	Article from the May 17, 1977 edition of the Mare Island Naval Station newspaper "Mare's Tale" The Vega was laid to rest.	Darryl Baker
	146k	MM2 William Hallman and SK1 Mike Nicholas fold the flag which was then presented to CDR F. J. Barnes III the last Commanding Officer of *USS Vega* (AF-59)**, 29 April 1977. File name;AF 59 Apr 29 77 02 TH, a US Navy photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.	Darryl Baker
	149k	Capt. Charles J. Christensen, Jr., Commander, Service Group One and CDR F. J. Barnes, III, Commanding Officer, *USS Vega* (AF-59) at the decommissioning ceremonies of the ship at Mare Island, April 29, 1977. Note CAPT. Christensen was Commanding Officer of USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3)** from 3/15/74 to 6/21/75. File name;AF 59 Apr 29 77 04 TH, a US Navy photo from the collection of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.	Darryl Baker
	64k	Ex-Vega (AF-59) moored at Tacoma, WA. 1987.	Courtesy Lyle Hildebrand USS Vega web site
	970k	Ex-Vega (AF-59) moored, probably, on the Columbia River in 1987. Photo by the late Alex Wood.	Chris Howell, Southland Ship Stores Limited, Port of Bluff, N.Z.
	221k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** belt buckle.	Photo by Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	275k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** Outboard profile	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	283k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** Main Deck plan	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	131k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** ship's plaque	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega
	140k	*USS Vega* (AF-59)** Welcome Aboard pamphlet cover.	Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret. USS Vega

For more photos and information about USS Vega, see:
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
MARAD Vessel History Database
Decommissioning Program

USS Vega (AF-59) Mare Island Naval Shipyard, July 1957 U.S. Navy photos from U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD)
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09065974	09065975	09065976	09065977	09065978	09065979
09065980	09065981	09065982	09065983	09065984	09065985
09065986	09065987	09065988	09065989	09065990	09065991
09065992	09065993	09065994	09065995	09065996	090659100

Commanding Officers
01	CAPT. Thompson, Floyd Thomas	10 November 1955 - 18 July 1956
02	CAPT. Steffanides Jr., Edward Frank	18 July 1956 - 13 September 1957
03	CAPT. Carpenter, Stephen W.	13 September 1957 - 11April 1958
04	CAPT. Rydeen, Francis Clyde	11 April 1958 - 2 May 1959
05	CAPT. Chandler, Carles Richardson	2 May 1959 - 15 April 1960
06	CAPT. Schmidt, Henry Edward	15 April 1960 - 18 May 1961
07	CAPT. Spear, Louis Piollet	18 May 1961 - 9 October 1962
08	CAPT. Muhlenfeld, Edward D.	09 October 1962 - 15 October 1963
09	CAPT. Provost, William Brockholst	15 October 1963 - 22 August 1964
10	CAPT. Hill, Raymond Edgar	22 August 1964 - 08 September 1965
11	CAPT. Melusky, Thomas Andrew	08 September 1965 - 5 August 1966
12	CAPT. Alderton, Dickson Wellington	5 August 1966 - 14 October 1967
13	CAPT. Burkart, John Carr	14 October 1967 - 18 March 1969
14	CAPT. Donovan, James Anthony, USN (USNA 1949)	18 March 1969 - 7 July 1970
15	CAPT. Wells, John Thompson, USN	07 July 1970 - 10 February 1972
16	CDR. Jefferis, Lawrence Richard (Jim)	10 February 1972 - 4 January 1974
17	CDR. Brown Jr., Ralph Edward	4 January 1974 - 9 January 1976
18	CAPT. McGee, Virgil Varnell	9 January 1976 - 22 June 1976
19	CAPT. Rockwood, Jerred Rushton, USN	22 June 1976 - 22 September 1976
20	CAPT. Barnes III, Fletcher James	22 September 1976 - 29 April 1977


Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves. Photos courtesy Bill Gonyo

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log

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Last Updated 1 March 2024